West Bridgford Hedgehogs

Local volunteers have set up a group called West Bridgford Hedgehogs, to help counteract the decline of these much-loved garden visitors. They will be working together on two main fronts:

• Caring for sick and injured hedgehogs 

• Developing a Lady Bay Hedgehog Highway

Here is a link to their Facebook page.

If you’re concerned about a hedgehog that you think needs help, contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS). You can ring the BHPS on 01584 890 801 or visit their website at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk. They will put you in touch with a local rescue service. If someone in the West Bridgford group is available, they will give you contact details so that you can arrange to get the hedgehog the help it needs. If our local volunteers are not available – for example, because they are full up and can’t accept any more animals, or because they are away – you’ll be given details for other volunteers nearby. 

The Lady Bay Hedgehog Highway has been inspired by a hugely successful group in Keyworth called Wild Things Keyworth. They have worked to connect gardens around the village to make sure that hedgehogs can roam safely around the area to access the food and space they need. Our gardens these days are often enclosed by fences, which prevent smaller animals like hedgehogs from getting around. By leaving gaps or drilling small holes (about the size of a CD) in those fences, we can open things up for them and give them a more secure future. 

The new West Bridgford Hedgehogs group is applying for funds to support their work to care for animals, and to buy equipment and insurance to drill holes. If funding is granted, the group will advertise on the Lady Bay Local Facebook page so that people can apply to have a hole drilled in their garden fence. You’ll need full agreement from your neighbours for this to go ahead. 

More information will be available as the group develops, via their Facebook page.